


Long Distance

by pandorabox82



Category: In Plain Sight
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-04 11:15:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1777093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After trying to put on a good face at Stan's promotion party, Mary realizes maybe she's not quite ready to be friendless. Knowing she can't call Marshall, she turns to the one person out there that might still care, Eleanor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She made the first call the day after Stan's party. She didn't know who else to call, she had been truthful when she told Marshall that he was her only friend. In the end, she had broken down and called her, knowing that despite how much they rubbed each other the wrong way, she would have good advice for her. She always had, from the first time she had shoved aspirin and water at her.

"Hello, you've reached Eleanor's voicemail. I'm not available at the moment, so just leave me a message and I'll get back to you soon."

That sounded too perky for Mary, even though she knew it was yards better than her own message. "Hey, this is Mare. Um, I need someone to talk to, and you were the first person that popped into my head. Crazy, huh? Well, anyway, my number is 555-6821. Hope to hear from you soon!"

The forced cheerfulness grated at her. She should have been able to say what she wanted, but even here, separated from someone she had barely tolerated, she was lying to herself and everyone around her. Sighing, she threw the phone down on the bed next to her and tried to calm down her racing heart.

"Why did you reach out to her, of all people, Mary Shannon? You really are a fucking fool," she muttered, turning on her side and burying her face in her pillow. Long minutes passed and then her phone was ringing. Blindly, she reached out for it and brought it to her ear. "Yeah?"

"Mary? Is everything okay?"

The words were cautious, wary, and she didn't blame Eleanor for wondering why she had reached out. "I don't know." It was a truthful answer, and yet she heard the woman sigh on the other end of the phone. "What?"

"There she is," Eleanor replied drolly. "I was wondering how long it would take before the prickly part of your personality showed up. Look, it's my lunch hour right now. Is there something I can do for you, or can I get back to eating?"

"Marshall's getting married," she said in a rush, knowing she wouldn't be able to say it again, even if asked.

"Oh." The small sound disconcerted her and she shivered before burrowing further into her mattress. "Oh, Mary, I'm so sorry. I always thought you were in love with each other. What happened?"

The one thing Mary had not expected was the tender concern quite evident in the woman's voice. It was enough to bring the tears she hadn't let fall previously come to the forefront, even as she loathed herself for being a sentimental sap. "Abigail happened. She gets him, gets his stupid references, everything. And I can't be friends with him, since we're too close of friends. She's jealous of that. I'm so alone."

"You're not alone, Mary. You have your family."

"And a daughter. Did you know that? My ex-husband knocked me up, almost lost her when she decided to make a dramatic entrance into the world. She's a lot like my sister, unfortunately."

Eleanor laughed a little. "Good. That will keep you on your toes. Is that why you called, though? Because you feel like you have no one there to talk to?"

"Maybe. Would it upset you if that were the truth?"

"Surprisingly, no. Now, I want you to go hug your daughter close, tell her you love her and try to find someone there who can keep you balanced. I pity the person taking over Stan's position when you do not have a Marshall to keep you in line."

"Whatever," Mary said, rolling her eyes.

"I heard that eye roll, Mare." It was the first time she had ever heard her nickname come from Eleanor's mouth, and she smiled softly. "And I know I am going to regret this, but whenever you need a sounding board, a sane, rational, person to talk to, feel free to call me. I don't mind."

She paused a moment before speaking once more. "I don't want to impose."

"It wouldn't be an imposition. I promise." There was something so earnest, so sweet about her words and Mary felt a great weight lift from her heart, something that she had never known she was carrying around. "And let me know about your daughter…"

"Norah," she interrupted, a gentle smile spreading across her lips.

"Let me know how Norah is doing. And Stan."

A wistful note crept into her voice, and Mary felt a barb of guilt strike her heart. "Stan, well, he's going to D.C. with his girlfriend. He didn't call and let you know?"

The sharp breath that Eleanor drew in was enough to tell Mary that he had not bothered to inform the woman who he had taken to his bed that he had a new girlfriend, that he was going to be living in her own backyard in a few weeks. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, hating to apologize for something she wasn't even responsible for, yet for some strange reason wanting to comfort Eleanor. "I'm sorry. I thought he would have told you. Maybe I am just a hateful person."

Tears burnt her eyes and she flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "Don't cry, Mare. If Marshall loved you, even a tiny little bit, there must be something loving and lovely about you. Never forget that."

Mary went to respond when her bedroom door opened. Sitting up a little, she saw her sister standing there, Norah in her arms. "Hey, Squish, just give me one second." Brandi nodded and stepped back a little. "I have to go Eleanor. Norah's hungry. Thanks for listening to me."

"No problem, Mary. Have a wonderful day."

Eleanor hung up before she could reply in kind and Mary set aside her phone, holding out her arms for her daughter. "Was she crying?"

"No, she woke up with a giggle. Look, I'm going out with Peter in a few, so don't expect me back any time soon."

Mary had known it was almost too good to last. There was no way that Brandi could handle pregnancy, handle the responsibility of motherhood. "All right, Squish. Love you."

"I love you, too, Mare." She held her daughter close to her chest as Brandi backed out of the room.

"Well, Norah, looks like it may just be you and me from now on. Stan's moving on and up, Marshall is marrying Abigail, and Brandi's going to start running once more. At least you can't leave me yet."

It was one thing to be maudlin, another to give in to her tears, and Mary swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to desperately regain control of the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Her precious daughter stared up at her, a smile on her face, and she nodded. Pulling up her shirt, she let her child suckle.

"I really want to call Eleanor back right now, Bug. I didn't realize I was that desperate for a kind word," she whispered as she caressed her daughter's head. "Maybe she'll even be a friend to us. Wouldn't that just be the oddest fucking thing in this world?" Leaning down, she kissed her child's head, wanting, wishing, that she had her best friend to talk to.


	2. Chapter 2

She made it a week without calling Eleanor again. And then, she walked in on Kenny fucking another woman, and she had turned and walked out, her heart and mind immediately rejecting him from her life.

Mary's first instinct had been to call Marshall. He had always given her the best advice when it came to the men in her life. But she hesitated, remembering their conversation, about how she had to let him go, how he couldn't come running to her at every beck and call. So, she'd quickly hit Eleanor's number instead, hoping that she would pick up.

"Mary." The way she shaped her name set her heart at ease and she flopped down on her couch, looking at Norah sleeping in her playpen. "What can I do for you?"

"Tell me a happy story."

A soft sigh broke from her lips. "Who hurt you now?"

"Kenny."

"Ah, at least it wasn't Marshall this time. All right, a happy story." There was a short pause and then she was speaking once more. "John and I had been married for a year and he surprised me by recreating our honeymoon. We spent a blissful week in Cabo, and I got just as sunburned as I did the first time around."

"What, did you forget the sunscreen?" she asked somewhat acerbically and was surprised to hear Eleanor laugh a little.

"As a matter of fact, I did. When you're cooped up inside all day, pushing paper and making connections, things like that tend to escape your thought process. And my John was so sweet, rubbing aloe onto my skin every night until the burn went away. I loved the feel of his hands on me, loving me."

Mary could tell that the woman was crying at the memory of her husband, and for some stupid reason, she wished she could be there with Eleanor, so that she could perhaps smile at her, or think of something witty to say. Instead, it was all honest, all the time, with her. "I don't think I'll ever find someone to love."

"Don't say that, Mary. You have Norah, and your love for her will be infinite and amazing. At least you have that most precious gift."

There was something so wistful about the way Eleanor said those words that Mary had to wonder why she and John had never had children. "Why didn't you have a kid of your own?"

"We tried."

From the clipped tone, Mary knew enough not to press farther, and she sighed a little, resting her head against the headrest in her car. "Why do I have such awful luck with men?"

"I have no idea, Mare."

She sighed and started her car up, pulling out into traffic. "That doesn't help me any, Ellie. I call you for advice, not to hear you say that you don't know what's wrong with me."

The older woman let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Honey, if I began to tell you all the things that are wrong with you, you'd hate me for life."

Those words strangely upset Mary and she frowned at the phone. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. You're so impulsive, you never pull any punches, you think you're always right. You haven't learned to compromise. Everything to you is black and white, no shades of grey, and some of us cannot live in that world. Especially when someone is just as bullheaded."

"Like you?"

"Exactly. I missed you, that first week back in D.C. There wasn't anyone here who would push me like you did. They were all afraid of me."

Mary snorted a little. "Afraid of a little wisp of a thing like you? I really did teach you well."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that. So, were things getting serious between you and this Kenny?" The question was soft and probing, like Eleanor wanted to know the details, but didn't want to pry too much.

"No, we were just fuck buddies, I guess. Jesus, I don't know why it bothered me so much to see him screwing another woman. I mean, it's not like I told him we were going to be exclusive or anything. Even if I didn't sleep with anyone else in that time."

"Mare, your priorities have shifted since you had Norah. Unconsciously, you're seeking something a little more permanent than just a random sexual encounter when the itch rises up in you. You want some stability for your daughter."

Eleanor's words made sense in some small part of her brain and Mary nodded. "Could, could you take some time off and come here for a visit? I really need a friend right now."

"What about Marshall?"

"He…doesn't want me to rely on him so much. Abigail comes first, as she should. She is his fiancé, after all. And it's not like I can talk to Jinx or Brandi about this mess I've made for myself. They'd just tell me about how I should go back to Raph. I should have listened better when they told us how to make friends in kindergarten," she muttered with a watery laugh.

"Don't do that to yourself, Mare. You have to be true to yourself, first and foremost. The people really worth your friendship will work past the thorns you put up to keep the weaklings at bay." A soft sigh escaped her lips and Mary wondered what she was thinking. "Do you really want me to come visit you?"

"Yes."

"All right, I'll see what I can do. Try and hang in there, kiddo, okay?"

The nickname was welcome to her ears and she nodded a little. "All right. Talk to you soon?"

"Yes."

They hung up and she stared at her still sleeping daughter. Norah really was the most precious thing in her life right now, and she smiled sweetly. "My little bug," she whispered, sitting up and sighing.

Her phone rang and she picked it up, startled to see that it was Marshall calling. "Hey, Mare."

"What do you need, Marshall?" She hated how stilted and awkward her words sounded to her ears and she shook her head, hoping he wouldn't pick up on her mood.

"Delia needs you to head out with her while she checks in on one of her witnesses. I guess they're meeting at an LGBT rally, and she feels like she'll blend in more if she has a girlfriend and baby in tow."

"Delia? Blend in? That personality of hers is like a lighthouse."

"I know. But, will you humor her?"

Sighing deeply, she shook her head as she stood. "Fine. But you owe me big time, Marshall."

"This will be just one more line in the ledger." There was something about the way he said those words that made her heart ache, and she suddenly wished that Eleanor was here, that she could put him on speaker and she could decipher what he was trying to tell her without words. After all, she had worked with profilers before, she had to have picked up some of their tips. "Well, I think she's going to be over at your place in twenty minutes. Try to look the part of a happy couple."

"Whatever you say, Inspector Mann." Without waiting for further words from him, she hung up and shoved the phone in her purse. She didn't really want to wake Norah up, since naptime was one of the most precious gifts she gave her right now, but duty called. "Come here, Bug." Lifting her up in her arms, Mary held her close before scooping up the diaper bag and heading out onto the porch to wait for Delia. It was going to be a long ass afternoon.


	3. Chapter 3

Mary groaned lowly when Norah began to wail in her room. She had become sick and was miserable, and in turn was making Mary miserable. It had been a week since she had last talked to Eleanor, and she felt like she was crawling out of her skin. "All right, Norah, Mommy's coming!" she yelled as she threw back the covers and planted her feet on the floor.

Stumbling into the other room, she went over to the crib and lifted her daughter up in her arms, carrying her over to the rocking chair. As they began to rock, she thought about Eleanor and the fact that she missed her. It was odd, how quickly she had gotten used to talking to the woman almost every day, to hearing her voice.

The phone ringing startled her, and she juggled Norah onto her hip as she padded over to the device and picked it up, growling out a low, "What?"

"Oh, Mary, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? That is why I Feng shui every room in my house." Mary breathed out harshly through her nose and fought to not just hang up the phone right then and there. "Now, I happen to be about ten minutes away from your house, do you need me to pick up anything at the store before I come?"

Mary struggled to hold in the pleased sigh that threatened to escape her lips as she plopped back down in the rocking chair. "If you're offering to buy, we could use some baby food and milk and vodka."

Eleanor let out a sharp bark of laughter. "I rather doubt that that last item is for Norah. How about I bring by breakfast for us as well? Does that sound good?"

"I know that if I argue with you, you'll just do what you want anyway, so you might as well just grab breakfast for us both. I love muffins."

"I seem to remember that. All right, I'll see you in thirty minutes." Eleanor hung up without saying goodbye, and Mary rolled her eyes as she set the phone aside, hugging Norah close to her as she started to rock once more. Eventually, she managed to calm her daughter, only to hear someone knock on the front door not seven minutes later.

Somehow, she managed to contort her body in such a way that she was able to stand without waking Norah, and she gently settled her in the crib before hurrying to the door. Without even glancing outside, she wrenched it open and looked at Eleanor, drinking in the reddish gold hair, the lines on her face that told the story of her life. "Hey, Ellie."

"Ellie?" she asked as she arched her eyebrow, pushing past her to enter the house. "That's Eleanor or Ms. Prince to you…"

There was no real malice in her voice, and Mary let out a huff of annoyance as she trailed behind the woman. "How is it that you can just sail in here like you think you know the place?" she asked as the older woman unerringly found the kitchen.

"I know you." The simple answer took her aback, and she nodded simply as she plopped down on one of the bar stools, waiting for Eleanor's next move. "And I suppose that if I can call you Mare, you can call me Ellie."

"All right." Mary rested her head in her hand as she watched Eleanor flit about the room, putting away the groceries she had bought. It looked like a lot more than Mary had asked for, and she felt her heart ache strangely at the way the woman was showing such care for her. "Um, I didn't think to ask, but how long are you planning on staying?"

"I have two weeks of leave. I thought we could play it by ear, see how long it takes for me to get on your nerves."

Mary rolled her eyes as she smiled, giving a small shake of her head. "Well, that happened the moment you called me this morning, but…you're still here. Norah's sick, so this is probably the worst time for you to show up, actually."

"I don't mind taking care of her," came the soft reply as Eleanor turned and set a box of four muffins on the island. "Now, I'm assuming the plates are in the cupboard next to the sink. Am I right?" Mary nodded and Eleanor turned once more, quickly grabbing two plates and setting them out, along with the cup holder that held two large paper cups. "I seem to remember just how much you love your coffee. I even remembered how you took it. Isn't it odd, the things that we remember about people?"

"Sometimes, yes. You always struck me as someone who paid close attention to detail, who would remember the smallest detail about those in her life. I'm not like that. I'm more jagged, more forgetful." She opened the box to give herself a distraction, picking up the largest muffin of the four and handing it over to Eleanor.

"Thank you, Mary." Their fingers brushed lightly as Eleanor took hold of it, and Mary found herself relishing the soft touch.

"You are most welcome, Ellie." A light blush spread across her cheeks as she bent her head over the muffin, picking at it. "So, how has life been to you, back East?" she asked, feeling like she had to fill the silence between them.

"Pretty good. I found a small group of friends who have supported me as I try to forget the bad memories." Eleanor lifted her face, and Mary could see the faraway look in her eyes. "The closest friend I've made, Penelope, she's good at being optimistic. I've found her sunny disposition to be most welcome."

"I'm glad at least one of us has been able to get out and make friends."

"Sometimes it sucks being a Marshal." The frank statement caused Mary to snort as she peeled the crown off her muffin, picking out pieces of the base and popping them in her mouth. "There are too many lies that get in the way of friendships. And you have to be so careful about keeping the lies straight, in order to protect those in the Program."

She nodded as she broke off another large chunk of muffin, chewing it slowly so as to give herself time before she had to reply. Then, she took a sip of coffee, trying not to sigh as the taste of it washed over her tongue. "There is that," she finally said after taking another drink of coffee. "I'm also not the friendliest of people."

"You've said that before, but I don't agree. You don't suffer fools lightly, but your witnesses seem to really bond with you, and that means you are a bit softer than you pretend to be. I understand, though, wanting to keep yourself shielded from hurt. I was never very good at that, I always seemed to let the little things get to me." Mary looked up at Eleanor, taking in the sad smile on her face, the way she was staring at the piece of muffin in her fingers.

Just as she was about to say something to the woman, Norah began to cry loudly, and the moment was broken before it had even begun. Eleanor's sad look melted into one of concern, and Mary shook her head a little. "I'll go get her."

"May I?" The soft question made Mary pause for just a second before she nodded. "Thank you. I'll just follow the sound of her voice." Eleanor slipped off the barstool and began to make her way through the house, Mary gazing after her the entire time.


	4. Chapter 4

It had only taken Mary five days to get used to having Eleanor as a house guest. She was quieter than Brandi or Jinx ever were, and there was something calming about the way that she took to the life that Mary led. Even though it had taken her an hour of intense negotiation to even get Eleanor to stay with her in the first place.

"I did the laundry, it looked like there was a real buildup. Oh, and Brandi was here earlier. You didn't tell me that she was pregnant. And you didn't tell her that I was here." There was a slightly bemused look on Eleanor's face as she set a plate of food in front of her. "Are we still keeping secrets from everyone?"

"It depends on what you mean by secrets," she muttered in reply before picking up her fork and stabbing a carrot slice. "If I think that someone doesn't need to know something, I'm not going to go blabbing it around. Jesus, you'd think that I was like Abigail if I did that."

"Oh," the older woman replied softly before bowing her head over her own plate of food. Somehow, Mary knew that she had managed to upset Eleanor, and that thought hurt her heart, for some stupid reason. Before she could stop herself, she was reaching out and placing her hand atop Eleanor's, squeezing softly. "I didn't mean to upset you, Mare."

"You didn't. I just lost my head when I think about that woman. And you know? If she weren't the one that Marshall was in love with, I think that we could have been friends. I could have used another friend in Albuquerque."

Eleanor looked up at her through her long lashes, and Mary could just make out the hint of tears in her eyes. "Mare, you have to have more people that care about you than just Marshall."

"Yeah, there's you," she replied honestly. Eleanor pursed her lips a little before shaking her head. "What? You and Marshall more than meet my friendship needs. Especially with you out in DC for most of the time. That way you don't have to put up with my whiny ass."

Mary had meant the words to come off as flippant, but the underlying truth was too much to hide. This time, it was Eleanor who reached out for her hand, and Mary had to fight not to pull away at the slight spark that danced between them the moment their hands became entwined. "In all the months that I worked with you, Mary Shannon, I never knew you to be whiny. And if you want to be a little upset at losing your best friend to a jealous fiancé, then be upset. Don't bottle those feelings up inside, because when they come out, it will just hurt you more in the long run."

The vehemence with which Eleanor spoke startled her a little, and so she just nodded dumbly before focusing on her food once more. The rest of the meal passed in a soft silence, as if their outbursts had cleared the air of an underlying tension neither had known was there. As Eleanor got up to clear the island of their plate, Mary tugged the older woman close and pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Thanks, Ellie," she whispered as she held onto her for a beat too long.

"You're welcome." There was a slight blush on her cheeks as she carried the dishes over to the sink and filled the washer. "So, what are our plans for this evening?" she asked, her back to Mary.

Unable to stop herself, Mary gave Eleanor a once over, smiling at the thoroughly comfortable way she filled her kitchen. Realizing that too much time had passed in silence, she cleared her throat and hurriedly tried to come up with something. "Jinx has Norah for the night. I suppose that we could go out and catch a movie. If you wanted."

"That might be nice," came the much too fast reply, and Mary hummed a little to know that the woman was just as nervous about this as she was. And Mary still didn't really have any idea what to describe this as. "I think there's a pretty good political thriller playing right now. Erin mentioned something about it before I left, how she and Penelope were going to go see it."

"Aren't you more into those gushy romance movies, Ellie?" Mary asked as she stood up from her stool and headed over to Eleanor's side. Leaning against the counter, she was able to dart glances at the woman and hope she didn't notice her doing so. "After all, you are a gushy romantic at heart."

"No, I believe that true love wins, and that love will save the day. There is a huge difference between love and romance, believe me. You can love someone and not want to be romantic with them." Eleanor turned and cocked her head to one side as she gave Mary an up and down look. "And sometimes, our hearts decide to settle on love long before we're ready to admit those feelings to ourselves. Are you sure that Marshall loves this Abigail?"

"As certain as the sun rises in the East, Ellie. She can even finish his stupid quotes before him. I hate it. It makes me feel so fucking stupid."

The words had tumbled from her lips before she could even hope to recall them, and then her hands were clapping over her mouth to keep more secrets from spilling out. Eleanor's look, though, had turned so very sad and Mary fought to keep from crying. She wasn't weak, she wouldn't give in to the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

Eleanor closed the small distance between them and then wrapped her arms around Mary, holding her close as she stroked her back. "You are not stupid, Mary Shannon. While you might not have the literary background that Marshall has, you have something that he doesn't, too. You have street smarts, and I would trust you to have my back any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Books and cleverness do not always mean that someone is better than you, so don't fall into that lie. You have everything you need to stand toe to toe with him."

Her words had dropped to a fierce whisper by the end of her tirade, and Mary could feel tears soaking into the fabric of her shirt as Eleanor continued to hold her close. "Ah, Ellie, you don't have to defend me. I know my shortcomings well enough." Eleanor shook her head. "I do. I get to be the ass-kicking, door kicking, brawn of the whole shebang. Marshall, he can analyze things. It works out well enough in the end."

"I don't believe you, and I don't think that your heart believes you, Mare." Eleanor pulled away from her and scrubbed the tears from her face with her hands. "But we'll deal with that later. Right now, we have a movie to catch, right?"

"Right," Mary echoed as she hesitantly clasped Eleanor's hand. The fleeting thought that that felt all too right flittered through her head, and Mary shook it off, not quite willing to follow that rabbit down its hole. Right now, she just wanted to think of Eleanor as a friend, because that was all she needed in her life. A long distance friend.


	5. Chapter 5

"This is going to be your last day with us, Ellie. What do you want to do?"

Mary felt sad saying those words, since she wasn't sure when she'd see the older woman again. And a small part of her had become accustomed to having Eleanor there with her, listening to her, not judging her, for two weeks. It was more than she had received from her mom or from Brandi in ever, and it felt nice to know that someone at least cared enough to listen and listen well.

Eleanor glanced over at her and shrugged a little. "Maybe we could take Norah to the park for a little bit?"

"That does sound nice," Mary said lowly, letting her smile match Eleanor's. She nodded a little as she adjusted the way Norah sat on her hip, watching Mary closely. A poignant silence fell over them, and Mary blinked a little as she tried to find a way to break the silence and not let sentimentality rule over her heart.

"Well, I guess we should get going, before it gets too warm."

Mary nodded and let Eleanor head out to her car so that she could gather up the things they would need for Norah while they were away. The brief time apart allowed Mary the space to breathe and refocus her thoughts. Every time she let her brain turn to the idea of Eleanor leaving tomorrow, her heart ached, and she didn't want to dwell on that feeling for too long. Especially since…well, she wasn't going to think about that.

Finally, she was certain that she had everything, and she took a deep breath as she shouldered the diaper bag and made her way outside. Eleanor was just finishing up with fastening Norah in her car seat, and Mary grinned as she threw the bag in the back next to Norah before folding herself into the passenger seat and waiting for her friend.

"Did you want to stop by a grocery store and pick up some food for a picnic? I could watch Norah in the car while you did."

Mary nodded as Eleanor pulled out into traffic. They were both quiet as she drove, and Mary couldn't help but feel sad as they went along. It seemed like she had too quickly grown accustomed to having another person in her life, and that made facing her leaving all the more painful. Which was completely ridiculous, she shouldn't need another person to make her feel complete.

A cool hand touching her shoulder finally broke her from her reverie, and Mary was startled to see that they were in a parking spot already. "When did that happen?"

"When your mind was elsewhere. I'll just wait here for you, trusting that you know what I'll like." There was something almost affectionate about the smile on Eleanor's lips, and Mary swallowed thickly as she nodded, fighting the urge to lean over and press her lips to Eleanor's cheek. "Go on, then."

Once more, she nodded and then climbed out of the car, making her way inside. She found that it didn't take long to put together a light meal for them to share. After paying, she rushed back out and let out a soft sigh to see Eleanor in the back seat, bent in close as she cooed to Norah. There was something so cozy about the scene, her heart lurching in her chest as she opened the passenger door and climbed in. "I'm back."

"I know. All right, Norah, Mommy's back, and we're going to head out again. What do you say to that?"

Norah cooed and giggled in response, and Mary arched an eyebrow up at the sound. Though her child was placid enough, she had never been quiet so happy as she was around Eleanor. "Ah, Ellie, you know that I'm not one for all that mushy stuff around Norah."

Eleanor cleared her throat as she slipped back behind the wheel and restarted the car. "I know, but she's so adorable that I keep finding myself slipping into the role of auntie. I'm sorry."

From the corner of her eye, Mary saw Eleanor swallow thickly, her lips turning downward, and she rolled her eyes a little as she reached out and spread her hand out over the woman's shoulder, unable to look at her, knowing that she was close to cracking, to letting Eleanor see that beneath her prickly exterior, she was drowning. From the way that the woman covered her hand, though, Mary got the feeling that she might just be in on her secret. "At least you're an auntie who will stick around," she murmured as she squeezed her hand closed.

"Yeah, now that you've invited me into your life, there's no getting rid of me!" The joke was clear, and sweet, and entirely Eleanor, and she chuckled lowly as she settled back in her seat, letting Eleanor drive them to the park. "I chose here, because it's quieter, and there are usually ducks on the pond. While Norah can't exactly chase after them, it still is a pretty placid place." She parked the vehicle and then turned in her seat a little to look at Mary. "I want to make some good memories for the long distance that is going to separate us soon."

Eleanor went to reach out, almost as if she was going to cup Mary's cheek in a thoroughly intimate manner, only for Norah to wake with a start and a wail, causing them to recoil from each other. Mary was the first to burst from the car, quickly going to Norah and focusing on her daughter as Eleanor grabbed the bag of foodstuffs and the diaper bag. Once her daughter was in her arms, Mary trailed after Eleanor, unable to keep from admiring the straight line of her back, the way she looked like she owned the space around her. There was a quiet confidence to her, something that Mary wished she had, because she often felt she was all bluster.

"Are you seriously going to look at every tree in the park before choosing a place for us to sit? Isn't every tree the same?"

Eleanor's back stiffened a little before she turned around and fixed a steely gaze on Mary. "Are you and Brandi the same?" she shot back before stalking over to a large, shady, spot and elegantly lowering herself to the ground, tucking her legs beneath her as she stared up at Mary, fire dancing in her look.

"Well, no, I suppose not," she replied as she plopped down across from Eleanor, handing Norah over to her as she rummaged around in the diaper bag for a jar of baby food to feed her. When she looked up, Eleanor had her forehead pressed to Norah's and they were rocking back and forth as the woman hummed lowly. "You would have made a really wonderful mother," she whispered, and Eleanor glanced up at her through her lashes, a fleeting smile darting across her lips as she looked back at Norah.

"It was never meant to be."

She wasn't able to think of an appropriate response to Eleanor's heartfelt response, and si she instead scooted over so that she was next to her, welcoming the heavy weight of Eleanor's head on her shoulder, and trying to ignore, again, how right it felt to have her so close. Instead, she had to focus on the fact that Eleanor was leaving soon, and she would once more be alone with her daughter.


	6. Chapter 6

Mary let out a deep sigh of something akin to discontent. As she watched the planes take off, she imagined that one was probably Eleanor's, and that it was taking her far away from Mary and Norah. And it wasn't so much that she would miss the woman, it's how much her daughter would miss her. Already, she was a bit fussy, as if two weeks of constant love and attention from someone new had spoiled her for the rest of her life.

"I know how you feel, Bug," she said lowly as she pulled out of her parking spot and merged into traffic after flashing her badge at person taking tickets and money from the others leaving the airport. "But we have to get used to it being just the two of us from now on. Ellie has her own life back East, and we can't impose on her any longer. We were lucky to get two weeks."

She fell silent and turned up the radio, using the music to drown out the little voice in the back of her head that was telling her she was fooling herself. That Eleanor wouldn't truly miss her. That she was glad to be done with them. For reasons she didn't want to admit, Marshall's wholesale rejection of her had knocked her around more than she had thought. The last two weeks had proven that in spades, since she had obviously been starved for attention, given the way she had sparked off Eleanor.

After dropping Norah off at daycare, she made her way into the office and found herself riding up on the elevator with Delia. "So, I thought I heard through the grapevine that Eleanor Prince was here for a few weeks."

"Really?" she shot back, trying very hard to appear nonchalant about the sly probing statement.

"Yeah. Marshall was almost certain that he saw her the other day, holding a very familiar baby. I told him that if an old friend was visiting, then surely they would have spent time with us as well, and that his eyes must have been deceiving him. Which one of us is right?"

"Neither of you." Mary stalked out of the elevator the moment the doors opened, taking a heavy seat behind her desk and opening the first file her hands touched. Still, her heart hammered a rapid tattoo in her chest as she tried to not think about how she had almost given herself away.

Delia passed by her desk, frowning a little, but Mary refused to acknowledge her questioning look, instead lowering her head even more in an effort to ignore the persistent woman. Her phone jangled in her purse, and she bent down to pluck it out. Mary's eyes widened as she tried to school her features in order not to respond from the text Eleanor had just sent.

_About to board my flight now. I'll let you know as soon as I get home safely. Give Norah an extra kiss for me._

"Ooh, getting a steamy text at work?" Delia teased as she held out a muffin as a white flag. Mary snatched it from her hand as she shook her head, taking a large bite before Delia could take the treat back. "Then what?"

"I have friends. We text." Her words were a bit garbled, since she was still chewing on the bite she had taken, and Delia gave her an askance look, almost as if she didn't believe her. "Look, there are some things that I like to keep private, and my friendships are one of them. That's all you need to know."

Marshall peeked his head out of his office door and gave her a deep frown, and she instinctively sneered at him before looking back down at her desk, trying to find something, anything, to work on and distract her from how quickly this day had gotten away from her. Both Delia and Marshall took this as their cue to leave her alone, and she was grateful for that, since she didn't want to be dealing with them, not when she was missing Eleanor so much.

It wasn't until lunchtime came around that she thought to check her phone once more, and a wide smile spread across her lips when she saw another message from Eleanor. _Landed safely, and Erin picked me up right on time. Her presence is nice, but…she's not you. I miss the silences that were filled with things that we didn't need to say. I hope your day is going well, and that you're not giving Marshall too much hell. Even if he deserves it._

She couldn't stop the laugh that tore from her lips, and Delia shot her a questioning look. Knowing that Eleanor would admonish her for cutting Delia off at the knees, she allowed the smile to stay on her lips as she shrugged a little. "Your friend, again?" the other woman asked, giving her a slightly disbelieving look.

"Yeah, she was telling me not to give my boss such a hard time. Do you think I should listen to her?" she replied as she leaned back in her chair, fixing her eyes on Marshall's office. "Or should I give him hell?"

"I agree with your friend, you should take it easy on him. Abigail was in quite the mood earlier."

At the mention of that name, Mary's nose wrinkled and she fought to keep her smart comments to herself as she stood. Her work phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out, seeing that it was one of her needier clients. "Looks like I need to get out in the field here, Delia. Have a great afternoon if I don't get back here before you leave."

Delia's mouth gaped open as she watched Mary leave, and as soon as she was out of sight, Mary let her friendly smile turn into a smirk as she quickly headed down the stairs, taking them two at a time in order to get out to her car faster. As she drove over to Rebekkah Mullins' home, she thought about how it would discombobulate Delia and Marshall if she was pleasant to them, if she went about things like Eleanor usually did. A part of her wondered how long it would be before they questioned her sanity, since she didn't really do nice, except when she was around Norah.

"I can't believe that it took such a short time for Ellie to get under my skin," she murmured as she pulled into the parking lot of the office where Rebekkah worked. Taking a deep breath, she tapped out a brief tattoo on the steering wheel before getting out. Striding inside, she found Rebekkah sitting behind her desk, looking utterly disconsolate. "Hey."

"Mary! Thank god you got here so quickly! My life is over!"

Mary fought to keep from rolling her eyes at the histrionics and reached out to pat the woman's shoulder softly. "Why do you think that?"

"I've fallen in love! And you know why I can't be doing something like that. I don't want to move, I like it here in Albuquerque! What am I going to do?"

This was a new development, one that Mary wasn't quite prepared to deal with, but she knew that it would be better to take things head on, rather than waiting to see what would develop. And it might take her mind off the fact that she was missing Eleanor, and that too many miles stood between her and her friend.


	7. Chapter 7

"Earth to Mary, come in, Mary."

With a start, she looked up at Delia, frowning a little as she hurriedly switched to another tab on her computer. "What can I do for you, Delia?"

The woman cocked her head to one side and as she rolled in closer to Mary, craning her neck to try and see what Mary had just clicked away from. Rolling her eyes a little, Mary minimized the browser and then focused her attention on Delia, trying not to roll her eyes as she very visibly let her shoulders slump. "I just wanted to see if you wanted to head out to lunch with me? I don't think you've paid much attention to what's going on today, and maybe you just need a change of scenery to get your attention back in the right space."

Mary took a look at her computer clock and blinked in surprise. It was indeed quarter after twelve, and her stomach growled loudly as the sensation of hunger overtook her system. "I think that I could actually go for that."

"Perfect! I'll drive. There's this new café in town that I've wanted to try for a few weeks, and now I have an excuse to."

The too wide smile on Delia's face told Mary that there was more at play than she had realized when she agreed, and another frown turned her lips downwards as she opened her desk drawer and pulled out her purse. "Well, if you're choosing the place we're eating at, I guess that you're paying."

"Mary!"

"Fine, I'll pick up my own check," she said as they stood and made their way over to the elevator. Marshall peeked his head out of his office door, giving Delia a small nod before disappearing back inside. She quickly felt her hackles raise at that look, and Delia just swallowed thickly as they stepped inside the elevator car and pressed the button for the ground floor. "What was that all about?"

"What?" she replied, trying to sound innocent.

"That look you shared with Marshall. Did I miss a memo?"

Delia shook her head a little as she tapped her foot in an anxious tattoo. "No, he was just a little concerned about you not going to lunch. This would have been the fourth day in a row that you missed taking a break."

"I see." Derision dripped off those two words, and Delia seemed to pick up on her ire, since she blushed deeply, looking away from Mary as she fiddled with the strap of her purse. "Well, I do think that that means you really are buying my lunch. I don't like to be played."

"All right," she said, giving Mary a more open smile. "So, what does have you so distracted these days? And don't say that you aren't, I've noticed that there are times when you aren't even with us in the office, even though your body is sitting in that chair. You're getting your work done, you're seeing your clients, but it's as if a part of your mind is a million miles away."

She hadn't realized that about herself, and Mary had to pause a moment before responding to what Delia had said. Drawing in a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and turned a little to face Delia. "I've found myself missing a dear friend more than I thought I would. You know I don't get close to people, so it's been surprising how quickly this person has gotten under my skin."

"It almost sounds like there's more than friendship between you."

Mary quickly glared at her, not caring that she was being unreasonable in that moment. "There is no way in Hell that what you're implying is true. We are friends, nothing more."

A small part of her knew that the vehemence in her voice would just lead Delia to think that there really was something deeper between her and Eleanor than there really was. Which was ludicrous, really. She had never been attracted to women, her romance line had always been as straight as a line, and to even think about that possibility of something more between her and the older woman was just not right.

"I got it. So, where does this friend live, to take your mind so far away?"

The doors to the elevator opened, and they stepped out, heading over to Delia's car. The short walk allowed her to gather her thoughts, since she had to be careful about how much information she revealed. As she slid into the passenger seat, she carefully schooled her features into as neutral a mask as she could muster. "She's on the East Coast."

"That's not so far away! You could always take a vacation and see her. I mean, you never take time off, you're devoted to your work. I'm certain that Marshall and I could pick up the slack for a week or two, if that's what would get your head back in the game."

Mary gave Delia a small smile, really considering the possibility of going out to see Eleanor. "I suppose that that might work."

The relief on Delia's face told Mary that she had not been the one to come up with that idea, and the fact that Marshall was still trying to meddle in her life rankled her a bit. She must have noticed the shift in her attitude, as Delia didn't reply to her, nor did she try to engage Mary in further conversation on the short drive to the café.

It wasn't until after they had taken a seat at a table in the center of the room that Mary decided she needed to address the elephant in the room. "Delia, when we get back, and you go tell Marshall that I am considering using up some of my vacation day, you can also tell him he can shove his misplaced concern up where the sun don't shine. I am a grown woman, I don't need looking after, and this false worry on my behalf is more than a little patronizing. He lost any and all rights to look after me when he decided our friendship got in the way of his relationship with Abigail."

Delia's eyes widened a little as she nodded slowly. "I didn't realise that this would bother you so much."

"Yeah, well, he made his choice. And I guess I'm making mine."

She turned her attention to the menu, trying to regain her focus. And then, her phone buzzed against her thigh, and she pulled it out, an open smile spreading across her lips as she saw the text from Eleanor. _Look at what Penelope made me!_ Knowing that a picture was soon coming, she opened her messenger and gasped a little at the scarf the older woman had wrapped around her neck. As her eyes followed the garment downwards, an unwelcome blush stained her cheeks as she found herself staring at Eleanor's cleavage. "Earth to Mary!"

Looking up again, she saw that their waiter was standing patiently at their table, a bemused smile on his lips. "Are you ready to order?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Mary rattled off her order and then slipped the phone back into her pocket as the man nodded to them and made his way over to the kitchen to put in their order. "Not a word, Delia."

"Hey, I didn't even look at you!" But from the merry twinkle in her eyes, Mary knew that this was far from a closed case. She only hoped that she could keep things under wraps for a good while longer. She wasn't ready to share this friendship with anyone.


End file.
